Rim and rimmed article



y 1942- A. B. WILSON 2,281,901

RIM AND RIMMED ARTICLE Filed May 8, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 5, 19 A. B. WlLON 2,281,901

RIM AND RIMMED ARTICLE" Filed'May 8, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 5, 1942 PATENT OFFlCE Rlllil AND RIIVIMED ARTICLE I AllenB. Wilson, Evanston, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, of one-half to Kimberly Stuart and one-halt to Elizabeth R. B. Stuart, both or Menasha, Wis.

Application May a, 1939, Serial No. 272,493

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to edge re-enforcing structure and is more particularly concernedwith edge reenforcing strips or rims applied to edges of articles of any shape or description. i

This application is a continuation-in-part of the copending application of myself and Edwin V. Swangren, Serial No. 228,028, filed September 1, 1938.

The use of metal re-enforcing rims for fibrous containers and the like is at present known generally in the art. The present invention is concerned mainly with specific improvements upon such rims; and is designed to effect considerable economies in the amount of material used in such rims and the manner in which the rims are applied.

A major object of the present invention is to provide novel rim structure for an edge of an article or the like wherein a strip of rigid material comprising a minimum amount of said material is secured locked along the edge of the article without the aid of additional fastening means.

It is a further object of the invention to provide novel re-enforcing rim structure for the edge of an article or the like which comprises a relatively long, narrow rim extending along the periphery of said article and being bent transversely to embrace said edge with its opposite lateral edges in biting engagement with the article at either side of the edge. Specifically,

the rim strip is compressed into generally circular or C-shaped cross section by suitable rim applying mechanism as it is fastened along the edge of the article.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel receptacle, container or the like which is light in weight and relatively inexpensive to manufacture, but which is rigid enough to withstand rough handling without appreciable distortion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a light-weight article, such as a plate, container or the like, having a novel re-enforcing metal rim construction; and to so design the rim that a'minimum amount of metal or other material is used in the rim which makes for economy of production and a light-weight final article. In its specific embodiment, the opposite lateral edges of the rim are bent aboutthe edge into biting engagement with the material at pposite sides of the edge and the opposite ends of the rim are overlapped in tight interlocking engagement. The articles to be rimmed may be of any shapeor size and their peripheries may extend in curved lines, straight lines, or both.

Further objects of the invention will presently appear as the description of the invention proceeds in connection with the appended claims and annexed drawings in which:

Figure lis a perspective view of a flanged plate made of sheet material to which 'the rim of the invention has been applied;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of a preferred form of rim applying mechanism for manufacturing rimmed articles according to the invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the rimmed article of Figure 1 illustrating the overlap at opposite ends of the rim;

Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7 are perspective views of receptacles having difierently shaped peripheries to all of which are applied the novel rim structure of the invention. These receptacles are illustrated as of difierent shape to help illustrate the scope of the invention;

Figure 8 illustrates the novel rim structure of the invention as applied to opposite ends of a cylindrical tube; v

Figure 9 illustrates the novel rim structure of the invention as applied to opposite ends of an article of truncated cone shape such as a lamp shade;

80 Figures 10 and 11 illustrate the rim of the invention as applied to pleated and non-pleated articles respectively, such as lamp reflectors;

Figure 12 illustrates the rim of the invention as applied to a trough-shaped lamp reflector of the desk lamp type; and

Figure 13 illustrates the rim of the invention as applied to a fiat article such as the ordinary asbestos pad used for cooking purposes.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a receptacle l0 having inclined side walls H and an outwardly extending peripheral flange I2 is provided with a rim strip l3 extending along the entire peripheral edge of flange l2. Receptacle l0 ispreferably made of a single sheet of cardboard, paper, fibre board or some similar fibrous material and formed to desired shape by suitable dies. The excess material formed during the shaping procass is taken up as by pleats in the inclined side walls H of thereceptacle Ill which may be used as apie plate; i,

Rim l3 comprises preferably a relatively long, narrow strip of some relatively stiff material which is preferably harder than the material of flange 42. Preferably strip i3 is of thin gauge 6 sheet metal such as steel or other metal.

A portion of a preferred mechanism for fastening rim l3 about flange I2 is illustrated in Figure 2. After being shaped in its proper form, receptacle i is placed in a suitable mandrel ll rotatably supported about a vertical axis. Receptacle I0 is rigidly held upon mandrel M by a suitable cooperating mandrel part I engaging the inner surface of the receptacle. When secured in place upon mandrel I4, receptacle I0 is positioned with its flange l2 extending into the pass between suitable grooved forming rollers i6 and 17..

Rimmed strip I3, preferably flat or slightly preformed; is fed into the pass between the grooved rollers by a suitable mechanism and is disposed in a substantially vertical plane which is generally normal to flange I 2.

The metal rim strip contacting and forming faces of forming rollers 16 and I1 comprise substantially semi-cylindrical grooves l8 and I9, respectively. Inwardly of the rim, flange I2 is gripped in tight engagement by relatively narrow end flanges 2! and 22, respectively, on the rollers.

As shown in Figure 2, as strip l3 enters the pass between the grooved rollers, it is transversely bent into substantially circular or C-shaped cross section with its opposite lateral edges .directed and forced angularly into biting engagement with opposite sides of flange I2.' In the final article, the opposite lateral edges of rim l3 are embedded a substantial distance below the surface of the material at the opposite side of flange II. This action is facilitated by the fact that the strip is relatively thin metal and therefore its opposite lateral edges have relatively sharp corners which bite readily into the flange material.

The above described strip curling, forming and crimping action not only fastens the strip to the flange, but by reason of the tight frictional engagement of rollers i6 and I1 with the strip and the gripping action of flanges 2| and 22,'causes rotation of the entire mandrel unit [4 about its rotatable support so that strip I3 is progressively secured along the entire peripheral edge of receptacle l0.

The length of strip l3 may be predetermined as equal to the circumference or the length of the periphery of the article to be rimmed. However,

it is preferable to make strip l3 slightly longer than the distance around the periphery to be rimmed so that the opposite ends of the strip may overlap slightly and form a tight overlapped interlocking joint 23 as shown in Figure 3. An overlap of about one-half inch has been found satisfactory in manufacturing pie plates about ten inches in diameter.

The tubular bead formed by strip l3 when applied as above described is very sturdy and is clamped to the flange most firmly at the joint 23 where the overlapped bead portions are telescoped to tighten the beads together so that the effect is substantially that of a continuous metal bead around the entire receptacle edge.

The above described apparatus and modifications of the same for suitably applying the rim to any article are fully described in the abovementioned co-pending application of myself and Edwin Swangren. This apparatus will, therefore, not be further described in the present disclosure, which is concerned mainly with the specific rim structure and the articles to which the rims have been applied.

The sheet from which receptacle I0 is made may comprise any suitable material which is desired to be used. This material may be any fibrous material such as paper, flber board. or the described.

=Grooves II and I, though preferably semicircularin shape, may be elliptical or of any other suitable form for directing the opposite lateral edges of the strip I3 at the proper angle to the opposite sides of the flange for insuring biting engagement therewith.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 4, rim I3 is applied to a rectangular pan 24 having sub stantially vertical side walls 25. This pan is preferably made from a single sheet of material with the excess material taken up at the comers in suitable pleats or folds designated at 26. At each corner the rim is preferably bent along an arc of small radius instead of at right angles.

In applying rim l3 to a receptacle of this type it is necessary only to use a different article holding mandrel from that illustrated in Figure 2.

In Figure 5, rim i3 is illustrated as applied to the peripheral edge of a substantially elliptical container 2'! having substantially vertical side walls 23 wherein the excess material is taken up by suitable pleat formations 23 at opposite ends of the container.

The container illustrated in Figure 6 is an octagonal baking pan 3|, of a type in common use today and its open peripheral edge 32 is provided with rim I3 applied in substantially the same manner as illustrated in Figure 2 The excess material is taken up by pleats 33.

In Figure 7, a dish-shaped receptacle or tray 34 having inclined side walls 35 is provided with a suitable rim l3 according to the invention. The receptacle illustrated in Figure 7 differs mainly from that illustrated in Figure 1 in that the former is not provided with an outwardly disposed flange such as I! in Figure 1. Further, walls 33 need not be pleated since they may be made of a separate strip of material suitably attached in the bottom of the container and provided with a vertical wall joint 36. In this embodiment of the invention, ring l3 not only securely re-enforces the rim and holds the container, but it also clinches and re-enforces joint 36.

In Figure 8, rim I3 is illustrated as applied upon the peripheral edges at opposite ends of a cylindrical can or tube 31.

In Figure 9, rim I3 is illustrated as applied to the opposite peripheral edges of an article of tuncated cone shape such as a lamp shade made by wrapping a strip of suitable material about a form of conical shape and binding it at a suitable joint 39. In this embodiment of the invention, rims l3 not only re-enforce the whole shade 38 but prevent joint 39 from opening. at opposite ends.

In Figures 10 and 11, rim I3 is illustrated as applied to the bottom rim of a pair of pleated and flat walled reflectors ll and 42, respectively. Pleated reflector 4|, illustrated inFigure 10, may be of the inexpensive kind formed from a sheet of cardboard or the like mainly used for decorative purposes. Reflector 42 is preferably formed from a sheet of laminated cardboard and foil with the foil surface innermost.

In Figure 12, rim I3 is illustrated as applied along the free peripheral edge of a troughshaped reflector of the type which is normally used on desk lamps. Reflector 43 is provided at one end with a header 44 which is apertured at 45 to permit admittance of a lamp bulb. The inner surface of trough 43 is preferably treated to make it light reflective.

The article illustrated in Figure 13 is a, flat plate of fibrous material such as the asbestos pad 46 which is ordinarily used on gas cooking stoves, and is provided with a suitable rim [3 according to the invention.

Advantages of the invention As above pointed out, the article and the rim strip may be formed of any suitable material which will cooperate to provide a rimmed edge as above described. While the rimmed strip itself is preferably of thin gauge sheet steel, it may be made of any other bendable material which is capable of maintaining a given shape.

The many illustrations of the various uses of the strip as shown in the drawings illustrate that it is capable of use on containers, receptacles, articles or any other edged devices of practically any shape or size. The invention is by no means restricted to the'articles illustrated in the drawmgs.v

The main advantages of the invention are the economy in the amount of material required as compared to prior art rims for similar purposes, and further in the fact that the rim itself provides a locking means for attaching it to the article and no additional locking implements or fastening means are required. Further, the rim can be applied or fed into the forming mechanism as a flat strip and need not be preformed in accordance with the shape of the periphery of the article to be rimmed as is the case in most of the prior art devices of similar nature. The rim of the present invention is especially advantageous where high speed work is required inasmuch as it may be applied with a single operation and no special clamping tools for fastening the rim to the edge are required.

As illustrated in the various figures of the drawings, the rim not only re-enforces and strengthens the edge of the article or the container as a whole, but it also serves as a binding means for clamping the free edges of its pleats, folds or other constructional formations which otherwise might be easily broken open when the articles are handled. Further, regarding the economy effected by the invention, it has been estimated that the amount of strip material used in practicing the present invention involves substantially about one-half of what has been considered necessary in the prior art since the beads ii of the present invention can be made much narrower than has been hitherto considered necessary. and at the same time gives the required strength along the peripheral edge.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. An article of manufacture made of comparatively soft material and having an edge defining a closed figure, a rim of comparatively hard material disposed along, and smoothly curved around said edge so as to conform to the shape of said closed figure and tightly secured to said article throughout the length of said edge, said rim being of generally C-shape in transverse section and having its opposite lateral edges facing each other and embedded in opposite sides of said soft material adjacent said edge, thereby enclosing an edge portion, said rim having a transverse cross-sectional dimension at right angles to said opposed sides of said edge portion which is as great or greater than any other cross-sectional dimension thereof, said rim being 2. An article of manufacture made of compar atively soft material and being in the form of a receptacle having a bottom wall, a side wall, and a peripheral flange, a rim of comparatively hard material smoothly curved around said flange and tightly secured thereto throughout the length of said flange, said rim being of generally c-shape in transverse section and having its opposite lateral edges facing each other and embedded in opposite sides of said flange, said rim having a transverse cross-sectional dimentogether in substantially full surface engagement, so as to provide an arcuate frictional interlock of sufficient strength to resist any tendency of the ends of said rim to be displaced either laterally or longitudinally with respect to each other.

AIL-EN B. WIISON. 

